Dr Jawad Hashim: Payments to Counsel

Lord Cocks of Hartcliffe: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Chancellor on 18 November 1997 (WA 71) on the case of Dr Jawad Hashim, what amounts have been paid to date to Mr Colin Ross-Munro and Mr Hugo Page; and whether Mr Colin Ross-Munro and Mr Hugo Page still have any claims outstanding.

Lord Irvine of Lairg: The Legal Aid Board's records show that the total amount paid to date to Mr Colin Ross-Munro QC is £866,452 and to Mr Hugo Page QC, £673,814.
	Following a review of all payments and recoupments made in this case, the Legal Aid Board established that neither counsel had yet received all the amounts allowed on the various taxations of costs by the courts. The board has calculated that an additional payment of £15,246 is due to Mr Colin Ross-Munro QC and £7,849 to Mr Hugo Page QC.
	Following the latest taxation, a further claim was received by the board on 28 January 2000. Under this claim, £4,700 is due to be paid to Mr Colin Ross-Munro QC and £7,050 to Mr Hugo Page QC.
	The solicitors in the case have informed the Legal Aid Board that some of the earlier taxations are currently the subject of review proceedings and it is therefore expected that further claims will be received once the proceedings have been concluded.

Chechnya

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they consider there is a humanitarian tragedy unfolding in Chechnya on a scale comparable to Kosovo during 1999.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: While we have deep concerns over the humanitarian effects of Russian action in Chechnya, unlike Kosovo, there is no evidence to suggest that the Government have a deliberate policy of ethnic cleansing or to create a humanitarian tragedy in Chechnya.
	The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Sadako Ogata, visited Chechnya in November, and her organisation has full access to the internally displaced people in the region. During her visit Mrs Ogata said that the humanitarian situation in Chechnya would improve with better security and an enhanced international effort. This has been borne out. Russia has provided better protection for UN agencies, and international donors have provided additional resources--the UK £1.4 million in all. In recent weeks UNHCR has estimated that up to 70,000 internally displaced persons have returned to Russian controlled areas of Chechnya from Ingushetia.

"Your Britain, Your Europe" Roadshow

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are the destinations of the "Your Britain, Your Europe" roadshow; and how the destinations were chosen.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: My right honourable friend the Minister of State visited Newcastle, Hull, Rotherham, Manchester, Bristol, Bath, Nuneaton, Birmingham and Leicester, each of which is a regional centre of population. This covered the constituencies of Sedgefield, Tyne Bridge, Gateshead and Washington East, Houghton and Washington East, Hull North, Rotherham, Manchester Central, Wythenshawe and Sale East, Bristol South, Bath, Nuneaton, Birmingham Ladywood and Leicester South. In each town or city he visited a variety of venues to meet a broad spectrum of society. This included calls on EU funded projects and visits to companies, schools and universities. All local Members of Parliament and Members of the European Parliament were informed of his visit and given the opportunity to participate.

Karen Refugees in Thailand

The Earl of Sandwich: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many Karen refugees from Burma there are in Thailand; and how many there were in May 1997.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: UNHCR's estimated figure for Karen refugees currently in camps in Thailand are 82,254 (out of a total of 98,949 refugees). In May 1997, the Burma Border Consortium's estimated figures for numbers in camps along the border were 90,540 and 101,955 respectively (UNHCR figures for that period are unavailable).

Burma

The Earl of Sandwich: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have evaluated the effect of their human rights policy on the Burmese government's persecution of minorities since 1997, bilaterally and multilaterally; and with what results.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: We and international partners are deeply concerned at the appalling record of human rights violations in Burma and condemn these at every opportunity: both bilaterally (eg demarches) and multilaterally (eg co-sponsorship of UN resolutions). In doing so, we have helped isolate the regime internationally and maintain pressure on it to change. Although the regime continues to violate human rights, particularly those of ethnic minorities, it is well aware that it cannot enjoy normal international relations until it addresses these concerns.

Sudan

The Earl of Sandwich: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What progress they have made in their diplomatic relations with Sudan in the last 12 months; and whether as a result the prospects of a peaceful settlement with the south have improved.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: We now have a fully operational embassy in Khartoum; British staff returned to the embassy in July and the ambassador was appointed in October. One of their key objectives has been to promote a peaceful settlement in the Sudan and, as a result of their presence, we are now in a better position to assist in the quest for a negotiated settlement.

Austria and the EU

Lord Lamont of Lerwick: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they agree with the recent statements by the European Union to the President of Austria about relationships between Austria and the European Union; and on what basis, given the United Kingdom Government's insistence that the European Union is a union of sovereign states, does the European Union seek to advise Austria about which political parties should form its coalition government.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: We are strongly committed to the measures which Austria's 14 EU partners agreed to take in the event of the Freedom Party joining government. It is up to the Austrian people to choose their government, but it is only right and natural that we should show our deep concern and distaste at the inclusion of a far-Right party in the government of an EU member state.

Hong Kong

Lord Lea of Crondall: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they will publish the next report to Parliament on Hong Kong and the Sino-British Joint Declaration.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The sixth report in this series, covering the period July to December 1999, was published today and copies have been placed in the Libraries of the House. A copy of the report is also available on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website (www.fco.gov.uk). The report includes a foreword by my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary. I commend the report to the House.

Visitors from the Indian Sub-continent:Bond Scheme

Baroness Whitaker: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How long the pilot scheme for a £5,000 bond to be provided by certain visitors from the Indian sub-continent will last; how those visitors who are liable will be determined; what criteria will be applied in monitoring the scheme; and whether the scheme complies with the Human Rights Act and the United Kingdom's international treaty obligations.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: Our proposed pilot scheme for financial bonds will begin in October and last about 15 months. No decision has yet been made on the amount of the bond or the location of the pilot scheme. The option of a bond will be available as a facility in those cases where the intention to return may be in doubt. We shall monitor the pilot to evaluate its effectiveness and usefulness and to ensure it does not disadvantage particular groups of applicants. We shall ensure that the design of the scheme is compatible with the Human Rights Act 1998 and our international treaty obligations.

Deaths in Custody: Data on Ethnic Minorities

Baroness Whitaker: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What arrangements are in place for collecting data on mentally ill black or Asian people who have died in police or prison custody; and how many black or Asian people have died in the custody of special hospitals or secure psychiatric units each year over the past 10 years.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: Information is collected and held on all people who die in police or prison custody to the extent that it may help in understanding how the death occurred or how future deaths may be prevented in similar circumstances. Clinical records relating to the mental health of such people may not, however, always be available.
	I understand that information about the number of black or Asian people dying in special hospitals or secure psychiatric units in England and Wales is not yet available centrally but that work is currently being carried out by the Mental Health Act Commission which will provide information on the ethnicity of patients who have died while detained.

Burglars: Mandatory Minimum Sentences

Lord Dholakia: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will publish the calculations on which they base their estimate that mandatory minimum sentences for offenders convicted of burglary could alone reduce burglaries by 3,000 a year by 2001-02 and possibly by as much as 17,000 a year in the long run.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The estimates take as their starting point the number of extra prison places expected to be needed for those sentenced to a minimum prison sentence of three years for a third offence of burglary in a dwelling, under Section 4 of the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997. While in prison each burglar is assumed to be prevented from committing at least three recorded crimes per year. We are carrying out a survey of recently sentenced prisoners to find out the number and types of offences they had committed in the year before they entered custody. This should provide better estimates of the numbers of crimes likely to be saved through incapacitation.

Community Sentences: Non-compliance and Withdrawal of Benefits

Lord Dholakia: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What effect on levels of crime they expect from their proposal that selected social security benefits should be withdrawn from offenders who fail to comply with community sentences.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: This is a positive measure about matching rights to the fulfilment of responsibilities; the right to claim benefit should be accompanied by a wider responsibility to society. The proposal is not intended as a punishment but it is expected to have a beneficial effect on increasing compliance with sentences. Those who comply with the sentence of a court will suffer no penalty under these proposals.
	The proposed measure will be piloted. The evaluation will include an assessment of its impact on behaviour.

Asylum-seekers in Detention: Bail Hearings

The Earl of Sandwich: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they intend to introduce the new system of bail hearings for asylum-seekers in detention; and what are the reasons for the delay in its introduction.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: Part III of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, which will provide for up to two routine bail hearings for the great majority of those in immigration detention, is likely to be implemented in spring 2001. The introduction of these provisions is part of the extensive programme for implementing the many sections of the 1999 Act. The drafting of secondary legislation, guidance and putting in place the administrative arrangements does not allow for Part III to be implemented earlier than 1 April 2001.

Immigration Detainees: Bail

The Earl of Sandwich: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they intend to introduce the principle of the presumption of liberty for detainees making bail applications; and why this presumption cannot be linked to existing bail hearings.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: Part III of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1989 introduces routine bail hearings for immigration detainees with a presumption to release on bail, subject to certain exceptions. Part III is expected to come into force in spring 2001. Section 53 of the 1999 Act also provides for regulations to be made introducing the general right to bail for detainees making applications for bail under the provisions of the Immigration Act 1971. These regulations will be based on the rules and procedures which have yet to be drafted in respect of routine bail hearings. The introduction of these provisions is part of the extensive programme for implementing the many sections of the 1999 Act. The drafting of secondary legislation, guidance and putting in place the administrative arrangements does not allow for Part III to be implemented earlier than 1 April 2001.

Probation Service Name Change: Cost

Lord Hoyle: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the total estimated cost of changing the "Probation Service" to the "Community Punishment and Rehabilitation Service".

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The total estimated cost of modernising the Probation Service has not yet been finalised. The current estimates are as follows:
	Set-up costs of Community Punishment and Rehabilitation Service--approximately £28 million
	Annual running costs of Community Punishment and Rehabilitation Service--approximately £8.5 million
	Annual savings on Probation Service running costs for the medium term--approximately £20 million
	Net annual savings for the medium term--approximately £11.5 million.

Immigration and Nationality Directorate Complaints Audit Committee

Lord Hughes of Woodside: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will publish the changes in the membership of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate Complaints Audit Committee.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: Ms Ros Gardner has been appointed as a new member of the Complaints Audit Commission to replace Janet Whitaker, who resigned on being made a life peer. Ms Gardner runs a consultancy specialising in customer care and complaint handling. She was formerly manager of the customer services department of Marks and Spencer and was a member of Cabinet Office's Citizens Charter Complaints Task Force.

Crime Fighting Fund: Police Force Bids for Recruitment

Lord Hughes of Woodside: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will publish the results of police forces' bids for funding from the Crime Fighting Fund to recruit police officers.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: All 43 police forces in England and Wales bid for a share of the Crime Fighting Fund to recruit 5,000 police officers over and above the number they had otherwise planned to recruit over the next three years commencing April 2000.
	The total number of officers which forces bid for came to 8,220. As all forces meet the gateway criteria set out in the Bidding Guidelines, my right honourable friend the Home Secretary has, in allocating funding for the 5,000 officers between forces, taken into account the information which they provided in support of their bids.
	The table shows the number of police recruits each force has bid for, the number they have been allocated in each year of the scheme and in total and the funding each will receive in year one of the scheme.
	The numbers of officers in years two and three are provisional at this stage. They are dependent on forces meeting the continuation criteria for benefiting from the fund in those years.
	Forces tell us that, without the additional resources from the fund, they are planning to recruit a total of 12,478 police officers (new recruits to the service) in the three years commencing in April 2000. Their estimates reflect the decisions they and their police authorities have made about the way in which they will use the resources available to them next year and the assumptions they have made about funding and budget levels in the two following years which have yet to be settled. The money from the Crime Fighting Fund will be used to recruit 5,000 officers over and above the number forces plan to recruit over the three-year period.
	
		Crime Fighting Fund: Recruits 
		
			   Allocation Year 1 Costs 
			  3 Year Total 2000/2001 2001/2002 2002/2003 Total Total to Force Training* Total Year 1 
			 Forces Bid Year 1 Year 2 Year 3  £ £ £ 
			 Avon & Somerset 165 20 40 41 101 510,000 140,000 650,000 
			 Bedfordshire 102 11 22 22 55 280,500 77,000 357,500 
			 Cambridgeshire 69 16 14 12 42 408,000 112,000 520,000 
			 Cheshire 115 17 34 35 85 433,500 119,000 552,500 
			 City of London 16 8 0 0 8 225,040 56,000 281,040 
			 Cleveland 57 5 23 0 28 127,500 35,000 162,500 
			 Cumbria 60 8 16 16 40 204,000 56,000 260,000 
			 Derbyshire 250 20 40 41 101 510,000 140,000 650,000 
			 Devon and Cornwall 200 28 55 55 138 714,000 196,000 910,000 
			 Dorset 90 9 18 19 46 229,500 63,000 292,500 
			 Durham 60 13 18 20 51 331,500 91,000 422,500 
			 Dyfed Powys 100 10 20 20 50 255,000 70,000 325,000 
			 Essex 124 23 40 40 103 586,500 161,000 747,500 
			 Gloucestershire 70 12 20 20 52 306,000 84,000 390,000 
			 Greater Manchester 1,000 78 145 155 378 1,989,000 546,000 2,535,000 
			 Gwent 65 12 20 11 43 306,000 84,000 390,000 
			 Hampshire 150 27 53 53 133 688,500 189,000 877,500 
			 Hertfordshire 48 13 16 16 45 331,500 91,000 422,500 
			 Humberside 251 15 29 30 74 382,500 105,000 487,500 
			 Kent 180 30 58 58 146 765,000 210,000 975,000 
			 Lancashire 152 25 51 50 126 637,500 175,000 812,500 
			 Leicestershire 150 17 26 40 83 433,500 119,000 552,500 
			 Lincolnshire 50 11 20 10 41 280,500 77,000 357,500 
			 Merseyside 360 40 80 81 201 1,020,000 280,000 1,300,000 
			 Metropolitan 1,800 242 424 447 1,113 6,807,460 1,694,000 8,501,460 
			 Norfolk 90 11 30 25 66 280,500 77,000 357,500 
			 North Wales 75 12 25 25 62 306,000 84,000 390,000 
			 North Yorkshire 39 5 20 0 25 127,500 35,000 162,500 
			 Northamptonshire 105 14 25 14 53 357,000 98,000 455,000 
			 Northumbria 172 27 57 52 136 688,500 189,000 877,500 
			 Nottinghamshire 120 17 35 35 87 433,500 119,000 552,500 
			  
			 South Wales 90 14 27 27 68 357,000 98,000 455,000 
			 South Yorkshire 150 20 40 41 101 510,000 140,000 650,000 
			 Staffordshire 102 17 33 33 83 433,500 119,000 552,500 
			 Suffolk 73 11 24 10 45 280,500 77,000 357,500 
			 Surrey 120 18 30 30 78 459,000 126,000 585,000 
			 Sussex 135 22 45 45 112 561,000 154,000 715,000 
			 Thames Valley 379 40 80 80 200 1,020,000 280,000 1,300,000 
			 Warwickshire 68 6 24 0 30 153,000 42,000 195,000 
			 West Mercia 108 18 35 36 89 459,000 126,000 585,000 
			 West Midlands 480 64 120 126 310 1,632,000 448,000 2,080,000 
			 West Yorkshire 180 26 52 53 131 663,000 182,000 845,000 
			 Wiltshire 50 8 16 16 40 204,000 56,000 260,000 
			  
			 Total 8,220 1,060 2,000 1,940 5,000 27,687,500 7,420,000 35,107,500 
		
	
	*The £7,000 per recruit to forces other than the Metropolitan Police Service for training will be paid to National Police Training.

Hungary: Co-operation to Fight Crime

Lord Taylor of Gryfe: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What steps they are taking to encourage a further strengthening of co-operation with Hungary in the joint fight to combat organised crime.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: My right honourable friend the Home Secretary has today signed with the Minister of the Interior of Hungary, Dr Sandor Pinter, a Memorandum of Understanding on Co-operation in Combating Illicit Drug Trafficking, Organised Crime, International Terrorism and Illegal Immigration. The agreement provides a framework within which law enforcement agencies and prosecuting authorities in our two countries can develop their close working relations in preventing, detecting and investigating all forms of serious and organised national and international crime. It is an important step forward in combating the common threat from criminal activity both within and beyond Europe.

Police Strengths

Lord Lea of Crondall: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will publish the number of police officers in each police force area in England and Wales, and in total, for the latest available date; and, whether they will list the total number of (a) police officers and (b) civilian support staff in England and Wales for each year from 1990.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The information is set out in the tables. At the end of September 1999 the total number of police officers in England and Wales was 125,464. The number of officers in the 43 forces (excluding officers seconded to the National Crime Squad, the National Criminal Intelligence Service and central service) was 123,050. At the end of September 1999 there were 53,254 civilian support staff in the police service.
	My right honourable friend the Home Secretary has also accepted the recommendations of a working group chaired by Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary and including representatives of the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Association of Police Authorities on the re-classification of police service personnel. The working group recommended that greater recognition should be given to the important contribution that civilian support staff make to operational policing. Civilian staff now account for 30 per cent of total police service personnel.
	From March 2000 police service staff will be categorised within three bands as (a) operational, (b) operational support or (c) organisational support. The new information, to be collected annually by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary, will provide a more accurate reflection of the deployment of all police service personnel.
	We shall continue to publish information on police officer numbers in the usual way.
	
		Total Police Service Personnel--1990 to 1999
		
			 Year Total police officers Total civilian support staff 
			 31 March 1990 126,777 44,525 
			 31 March 1991 127,495 46,373 
			 31 March 1992 127,627 47,320 
			 31 March 1993 128,290 49,503 
			 31 March 1994 127,897 50,229 
			 31 March 1995 127,222 51,096 
			 31 March 1996 126,901 52,933 
			 31 March 1997 127,158 53,011 
			 31 March 1998 126,814 52,974 
			 31 March 1999 126,096 53,031 
			 30 September 1999 125,464 53,254 
		
	
	
		Police Numbers--Change Between March 1999 and September 1999
		
			 Force Strength as at 30 September 1999 Change since 31 March 1999 
			 Avon & Somerset 2,988.7 -11 
			 Bedfordshire 1,048.4 -7 
			 Cambridgeshire 1,272.2 -2 
			 Cheshire 2,043.6 -27 
			 City of London 744.6 -33 
			  
			 Cleveland 1,372.6 -43 
			 Cumbria 1,092.9 -33 
			 Derbyshire 1,763.6 -5 
			 Devon & Cornwall 2,861.1 -26 
			 Dorset 1,276.1 -3 
			 Durham 1,554.6 -13 
			 Dyfed-Powys 1,048.6 +22 
			 Essex 2,834.7 -56 
			 Gloucestershire 1,098 -6 
			 Greater Manchester 6,810.3 No change 
			 Gwent 1,261 +14 
			 Hampshire 3,410.8 -63 
			 Hertfordshire 1,760 +36 
			 Humberside 1,926.2 -48 
			 Kent 3,256.7 +56 
			 Lancashire 3,221.4 -23 
			 Leicestershire 1,997.5 +4 
			 Lincolnshire 1,110.8 -29 
			 Merseyside 4,070.8 -140 
			 Metropolitan Police 25,884.5 -188 
			 Norfolk 1,381.5 No change 
			 Northamptonshire 1,130 -7 
			 Northumbria 3,800.1 -40 
			 North Wales 1,399 +8 
			 North Yorkshire 1,293.7 -43 
			 Nottinghamshire 2,227 +2 
			 South Wales 2,983 +2 
			 South Yorkshire 3,165 -3 
			 Staffordshire 2,206 -32 
			 Suffolk 1,160 -30 
			 Surrey 1,721.1 +59 
			 Sussex 2,909.3 +63 
			 Thames Valley 3,749.5 +1 
			 Warwickshire 915.7 +8 
			 West Mercia 1,979.4 -45 
			 West Midlands 7,296.4 -24 
			 West Yorkshire 4,873 -109 
			 Wiltshire 1,150.2 -1 
			  
			 Force total strength 123,050 -791 
			  
			 Seconded police officers(1) 2,414 +159 
			  
			 Total police service strength 125,464 -632 
		
	
	1 Includes officers seconded to NCS, NCIS and central service such as National Police Training.

Balkans: Army Communications

Lord Gregson: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What developments there have been concerning Army communications in the Balkans.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: As part of the department's ongoing efforts to reduce overstretch in the Army, we are pleased to announce that a contract has been let to provide for less manpower intensive and more modern communications equipment in the Balkans. The contract, with BAe Systems, will provide for wide area communications in support of the UK's contribution to the NATO Multi National Divisions in Bosnia and Kosovo. While maintaining the UK's responsibility to NATO's peacekeeping forces, it will enable us to bring home some 150 Royal Signals personnel by the end of the year. It is also an excellent example of the SMART procurement initiative by demonstrating the advantages of working closely together with industry to deliver the equipment our front line troops need. The contract is specific to the Balkans theatre of operations and does not affect the Army's wider communications requirements. The cost of this equipment will be met from the Contingency Reserve.

GPs: Single-handed Practices

Lord Carlile of Berriew: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether any special measures are in existence to audit the clinical performance and drug prescription record of single-handed practitioners in general practice; and
	What is their policy towards single-handed general medical practice.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Health authorities currently routinely monitor all general practitioners in the same way.
	There are about 3,000 single-handed GPs in this country and most provide a valuable service to tens of thousands of patients, often in inner-city or isolated rural areas. The Government's policy is that those patients have no less right to expect precisely the same standards of care from a single-handed GP as they might get from a large, multi-partner practice.
	Work is being undertaken to examine and, where necessary, tighten up regulations around specific areas in the light of the Dr Shipman case. These measures will build upon existing quality initiatives and moves by the medical profession towards revalidation.
	Any further measures will be informed by the work of the inquiry.

Dr Harold Shipman

Lord Carlile of Berriew: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What steps, if any, were taken between 1976 and 1999 to terminate or to impose conditions or sanctions on contracts between Dr Harold Shipman and the National Health Service.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: None before August 1998.
	In August 1998, West Pennine Health Authority asked the NHS Tribunal to make an order suspending Dr Shipman from medical lists on the grounds that this was necessary to protect patients. The NHS Tribunal made the order suspending Dr Shipman as a result of the health authority's representations.

Debt among Benefit Recipients

Earl Russell: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will commission research into the level of debt among those on social security benefits; and, if not, why not.

Baroness Hollis of Heigham: Data on debt are already collected as part of our research focused on specific groups of social security benefit recipients. For example, the Programme of Research into Low Income Families (PRILIF) provides information on debt for families with dependent children receiving benefits. The PRILIF studies have included questions about family welfare, involving debt in terms of borrowing, use of credit and financial difficulties families were facing in the form of problem debts. Questions have also been asked about mortgage and rent arrears, difficulties in paying household bills, problems in the repayment of consumer credit, the use of financial services/loans and any consequent problem debts. Income support recipients have been asked about their use of Social Fund grants and/or loans.
	In addition, surveys conducted as part of the evaluation of the earnings top-up pilot collected this data for unemployed people and low-paid workers without children. We also review external research reports covering all aspects of social security including levels of debt among benefit recipients. We have no plans to commission further research specifically focused on debt among those in receipt of benefits.

Young People Living Independently and Claiming Benefit

Earl Russell: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Hollis of Heigham on 20 January (WA 161-62) on 16 and 17 year-olds living independently, whether they wish to revise their view that "all had some apparent source of income" in the light of the Children's Society report, Still Running.

Baroness Hollis of Heigham: Our policy is to help prevent family breakdown which can lead to young people leaving home. That is why it has instituted a range of policies across departments to support children and families. The recent publication of the Connexions strategy document illustrates our commitment to transform the support young people receive as they make the transition from adolescence to adult and working life.
	The information on young people living independently which informed the Written Answer of 20 January was drawn from the Family Resources Survey 1997-98 and covered people living in private households. The information gathered indicated that, for those young people who were not living with their natural parents and/or stepparents, all had access to some source of income. The survey did not cover young people in institutions nor those who were homeless at the time of the survey.

Half-price Travel Concessions

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Why they consider that Clauses 123 to 129 of the Transport Bill are compatible with Article 1 of the First Protocol of the European Convention on Human Rights read with Article 14 of the convention, given that these provisions discriminate between elderly persons as regards half-price travel concessions on the basis of the different pensionable ages for men and women.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: The provisions in the Transport Bill require local authorities to provide half-price travel concessions for people who have attained pensionable age. The Government take the view that entitlement to concessionary travel is not a pecuniary right falling within Article 1 of the First Protocol to the convention and that consequently the United Kingdom is not subject to the provisions of Article 14 (prohibition of discrimination) in respect of the grant of such a concession. The Government have already announced their intention to equalise pensionable age at 65 for men and women over a transitional period between 2010 and 2020.

House of Lords Appointments Commission: PricewaterhouseCoopers

Lord Pilkington of Oxenford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What will be the cost of retaining PricewaterhouseCoopers to assist in the recruitment of members of the House of Lords Appointments Commission.

Baroness Jay of Paddington: The total cost will be £52,000 plus expenses and VAT. Advertising costs will be in addition to this.

House of Lords Appointments Commission: PricewaterhouseCoopers

Lord Pilkington of Oxenford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What consultations there were with the Convenor of the Cross-Bench Peers about the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers to assist in the recruitment of Members of the House of Lords Appointments Commission and about its terms of reference.

Baroness Jay of Paddington: The Covenor of the Cross-Bench Peers was not consulted about the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers Executive Search and Selection to assist in the process of identifying suitable candidates for the independent chairman and independent members of the appointments commission. Although Ministers approved the principle of the use of headhunters, they also were not involved in the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers.
	The terms of reference are:
	Assist in the drawing up of advertisements for the chairman and members.
	Advise on where to place such advertisements and place them.
	Devise an information pack for candidates for both positions.
	Handle all initial inquiries and send out information packs.
	Use its knowlege and resources to identify strong candidates who could be invited to apply for either the chairmanship or membership. All such candidates would have to go through the full appointments process.
	Receive and process applications, including an initial sift of applications to eliminate non-viable candidates.
	Produce a long list of serious possibilities.
	Work with the Constitution Secretariat, Cabinet Office, to produce final shortlists.

House of Lords Appointments Commission: PricewaterhouseCoopers

Lord Pilkington of Oxenford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether there was an open tender process before PricewaterhouseCoopers were retained to assist in the recruitment of members of the House of Lords Appointments Commission; when the tender process was initiated; and how many firms applied.

Baroness Jay of Paddington: Yes. There was an open tender process before PricewaterhouseCoopers Executive Search and Selection was retained.
	It is standard practice in these cases to invite tenders from a number of companies. Invitations to tender were sent to four recruitment consultants who have previous experience of working with government departments. The invitations to tender were sent in December 1999 and all four submitted bids.

House of Lords Appointments Commission: PricewaterhouseCoopers

Lord Pilkington of Oxenford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will publish in the Official Report the terms of reference under which PricewaterhouseCoopers has been retained to assist in the recruitment of members of the House of Lords Appointments Commission.

Baroness Jay of Paddington: The terms of reference under which PricewaterhouseCoopers Executive Search and Selection has been employed are:
	Assist in the drawing up of advertisements for the chairman and members.
	Advise on where to place such advertisements and place them.
	Devise an information pack for candidates for both positions.
	Handle all initial inquiries and send out information packs.
	Use its knowledge and resources to identify strong candidates who could be invited to apply for either the chairmanship or membership. All such candidates would have to go through the full appointments process.
	Receive and process applications, including an initial sift of applications to eliminate non-viable candidates.
	Produce a long list of serious possibilities.
	Work with the Constitution Secretariat, Cabinet Office, to produce final shortlists.

House of Lords Appointments Commission: Advertising Campaign

Lord Dean of Harptree: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What will be the cost of the national press advertising campaign to attract candidates to be members of the House of Lords Appointments Committee.

Baroness Jay of Paddington: About £30,000 plus VAT.

House of Lords: Transitional Period

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether, throughout the transitional period of the second Chamber, they will use their powers of creation of life peers to give effect to the principle of broad parity and proportionate creation, as envisaged in the White Paper, Modernising Parliament Reforming the House of Lords (Cm 4183, January 1999).

Baroness Jay of Paddington: During the period of the transitional House, the Prime Minister will ensure that the number of peers he recommends, and the number of recommendations he invites from other parties, are consistent with and move towards the overall objectives set out in the White Paper Modernising Parliament Reforming the House of Lords (Cm 4183, January 1999). The power of creation of life peerages is vested in the Queen, not the Prime Minister.